Exploring the world one country at a time

June 23, 2015June 23, 2015

Just a Click Away: Learning from the Xhosa Elders of Ngxingxolo Village

I’ve always been intrigued by women in communities around the world; from their cultural traditions, style of dress, cooking practices, and overall lifestyle. While driving through the wild coast of South Africa, I became curious about the daily life of people occupying rural communities. I wandered if xhosa cultural traditions remained intact or have evolved with the times as everything else in South Africa. My curiosity lead me to a rural village in the township of Chinsta, South Africa called Ngxingxolo.

Mama Tofu inside of a traditional homestead 2015Mama Tofu

I was greeted by a highly regarded elder of the community, Mama Tofu. She spent the day explaining the traditional way of life for xhosa people. As she listed the daily tasks of women within the village, it became clear that these women are pillars of the community. From milling corn to preparing meals, fetching water, cleaning and child rearing responsibilities; xhosa women do it all. While the men are respected as the head of the household; their responsibilities are far less. Might I add that these women don’t have washing machines, hot running water, or microwaves to save the day. I immediately thought to myself, what an honor it must be being a woman in this community. My back started hurting just thinking about it.

xhosa girls outside their homesteadMama Tofu highlighting the history and traditions of the xhosa peopleXhosa woman mills corn to demonstrate the the daily duties of women within the community 2015

A Xhosa gentleman takes on the challenge of milling cornAn elder explains the importance of rituals to honor ancestors such as slaughtering goats 2015

I walked away feeling empowered; feeling connected to a legacy of such strong women.

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Published by donttriptravel

I'm Anitra Smith, an Oakland, CA based blogger and world traveler. I've traveled to over 25 countries on 6 continents. I love to explore the African diaspora through travel. Follow my adventures and stories as I experience the world one country at a time. View all posts by donttriptravel